Hopkins County Clerk Returns

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Hopkins County Clerk Returns 1846 – 1855

Forty-two individual land files from Hopkins County are now available for researching online through the Texas General Land Office. These documents represent reports of headright certificates filed with the TGLO by the county Boards of Land Commissioners and the District Courts from 1836 to 1855. The reports, called returns, had to be filed with the GLO on a quarterly basis by the county clerks and clerks of the district courts. The first report filed by the Hopkins County clerk states “Report of Unconditional Certificates issued by the Board of Land Commissioners of Hopkins County from the 22nd quarter ending Sept. 2, 1846 it being the first quarter after the organization of said county unto the 26th quarter ending September 3, 1847”. Each additional succeeding report gives the quarter and the dates for filing.

Typical information found in these returns includes the numbers assigned to the conditional and unconditional certificates, the name of the person to whom the headright certificate was issued, the county in which the conditional certificate was issued, quantity of land granted in acres, names of witnesses, and the date an unconditional certificate was issued. Some returns include immigration dates and marital status of recipients of certificates.

The conservation and scanning project is an ongoing process as money becomes available from private and corporate contributions as well as state funding.

Each return file is in a pdf document that can be easily accessed and copies of all papers in the file may be printed at no charge.   Log into the General Land Office website www.glo.texas.gov

Click on the link “Land Grant Database”.  In the “Land Grant Search” screen select the county by clicking on the arrow and clicking on Hopkins. In the Class Field type in “clerk return”. Click the search button. To view the clerk returns you may either click on the numbered link or the pdf.
You can call TGLO 512-463-5277 for more information or help.